Millennium News Network

Gay Lincoln: President Second Class Citizen

2011-06-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaIt's wildly unlikely that if the public had been aware of the strange bedfellow kept by a certain stovepiped president he would have been able to command the respect of the Union... let alone reunite a shattered United States, but unlike Lincoln, the truth is out: if our 16th President wasn't gay, he most certainly enjoyed a bisexual lifestyle.

Abraham Lincoln is known for his honesty, his command of Union forces, his emancipation of the slaves (if not for the reasons we assume), his tendency to sleep in a bed with another man... that's a detail they left out of 8th grade American history.

Yet Lincoln himself, though discreet, left a startling trail of clues as to his sexual proclivities. Most obviously, Lincoln shared a bed, literally, with friend Joshua Speed from 1837 to 1841. It's possible that Lincoln was a young, poor lawyer and Joshua Speed was just a good friend. It seems unlikely however that it would take young Lincoln 4 years to save up for his own bed, unless it was made by Mercedes-Benz and he was leasing to own.

It seems likely that Lincoln would have been a strong proponent of gay marriage were the issue raised with any hope of intelligent discussion during his tenure as President, if not only for personal reasons, but for his strong belief in the personal sovereignty and freedom of all men as well. It also seems likely that, perhaps mercifully, we'll never know the details of Lincoln's trysts between the sheets... at least not until HBO runs out of other ideas.

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Catholic Students for GSA's Marches in Upcoming Pride Events

2011-06-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaCatholic Students for GSAs will be marching in Stonewall TO 6/26/2011 as well as the Dyke March on 7/2/2011.

Pride Parade on July 3rd is the main event.

For Stonewall, anyone coming from Mississauga can meet the group at the Square One bus terminal at 10am Sunday and bus there together or, meet at noon in Queens Park, which is the starting point for the march.

Stonewall TO:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133919933352469

Dyke March Toronto: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=141605469240224

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Empire State Says I Do to Gay Marriage

2011-06-25T07:25:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaFriday night, the passage of New York's bill legalizing same sex marriage appears assured with a critical vote secured.

The bill, introduced by Governor Andrew Cuomo, garnered surprise support from Republican Senator, Stephen Saland. With Saland's vote and 2 others already secured, queer folk everywhere can start booking halls... now if only they can afford the requisite rings.

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East Coast Mobster Lived a Life of Luxury

2011-06-24T18:31:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaBefore James "Whitey" Bulger, reputed East Coast mobster was arrested Wednesday June 22, he lived a life of luxury just 2 blocks from the beach in southern California. Whitey, 81, had been living with girlfriend Catherine Grieg. Together the two would rack up hundreds of dollars in a single night on a restaurant dinner for two. Lobster, foie gras, nothing was too much for this thug with champagne tastes.

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Columbo Star Peter Falk Dead at 83

2011-06-24T18:25:00.000-07:00

Image by alvaro tapia hidalgo via FlickrColumbo star Peter Falk died at 83 yesterday June 23rd, 2011 following a long battle with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease.

The star of Columbo with roles in such memorable films as Princess Bride the actor will be missed across generations and throughout the entertainment industry. Today, there is no more "one more thing."

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Traditional Therapist Takes the Blog Approach

2005-10-18T14:09:00.000-07:00

By James Caruthers

Long before Frasier had even hit the airwaves, so called "gossip columnists" like Dear Abbey dominated the public's interest in psychology with the much popularized advice column. In time these syndicated media fixtures came to symbolize the pinnacle of the psychotherapy industry, at least financially if not academically. These days the case is much the same, but the medium has changed. It used to be the case that in order to get a radio show or an advice column one needed years of carefully cultivated contacts in the industry as well as the funding neccessary to undertake such an endeavour. Today however, the democratization of technology has changed all that and with the advent of the internet anyone with a rough ability to type can have their thoughts read around the world.

One technology in particular, blogs, has made this easier than ever. A blog or "web log" is a virtual journal with its own website which is updatable from any place that has an internet connection. The groupings and communities of blogs which have grown out of this vocal frontier is known as the blogosphere and the authors as bloggers.

Trailblazing at the forefront of this blog-new-world is Yasmin Lluveras (whose name means Jasmin Snow), a former navy, one time model, and ex radio talk show host, who having now settled into the field of psychotherapy pushes the boundaries at every step. Her latest project is Ask Yas! (askyas.com), a column based off of Google's Blogspot architecture where she dispenses advice about any number of topics ranging from the mundane to the bizarre.

Said Yas of the project, "It came to me one day that you can't just wait for people to come to you; to really help you have to be proactive and meet people on their own turf. Today that turf happens to be in the blogosphere, but in ten years who knows? All I know is that I'll be there, wherever there is. There are a lot of people out there who might be happier if they only had someone to tell them where to find help; now at least I'm meeting them halfway."

Yas is not the only one offering help online however, for years telephone psychics and other financially motivated individuals have been taking their businesses to the internet where laws are looser and it is easy to cloak yourself in supposed legitimacy. Yas notes that in these cases it mostly comes down to common sense, "If someone really wants to help you they're going to tell you what their background is and how they are qualified to do so; they'll also follow the local laws and ensure that what you pay for is what you get. If you have any doubt, take the time to ask the questions that matter, you'll be glad you did in the long run."

As for where Yas will show up next one can only look at up and coming technologies and speculate. Personally, after many frustrating attempts to navigate my banks voicemail system via my cellphone; an act which tends to result in much trauma both to me mentally and physically to my cellphone, I have to say it is my ferverent hope that the next model will come equipped with a Yas button somewhere on the keypad. Now there's something we could all use.

Yasmin Lluveras MSW LICSW LCSW-C can be reached at askyas.com

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Filmakers Take on 2002 Texas Election Scandal

2005-10-18T13:49:00.000-07:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeTwo independent filmmakers, Mark Birnbaum and Jim Schermbeck, have created a film covering the 2002 Texas election campaign and the involvement of corporate donations. Their film is called The Big Buy and includes approximately 50 hours of interviews with the Travis County Prosecutor's office, including prosecutor Ronnie Earle, lawyers for those under investigation, and some journalists.

Schermbeck and Birnbaum started the The Big Buy in February 2003 and billed it as a "Texas noir political detective story that chronicles what some are calling a “bloodless coup with corporate cash.” It follows maverick Austin DA Ronnie Earle’s investigation into what really happened when corporate money joined forces with relentless political ambitions to help swing the pivotal 2002 Texas elections, cementing Republican control from Austin to Washington D.C."

The film has suddenly gained notoriety because of the recent indictments of Tom Delay by Travis County District Attorney's office. "We couldn't have given this film away last month," Mr. Schermbeck said. "We couldn't get any attention for it, or any money for it. Now, we're getting the attention, but so far it's still self-financed."

The Big Buy draws its title from the idea that political influence can be bought
and paid for, Schermbeck said.

The filmmakers financed the project themselves and made no payments to any of those interviewed, they said. "We look at this as witnessing history as it happens," Schermbeck said. "What if there was a film about Sharpstown [ the political scandal in the early '70s that derailed the careers of several Texas politicians]? It would have been great to have that as a historical document. This time we will."

The National Review Online, which obtained an unfinished copy of the film last week, has written that it contains footage inside the grand jury room as well as inside the prosecutors office.

Presumably that is the same version of the film that was shown to a crowd of about 300 at the Dallas Video Festival in early August. Birnbaum and Schermbeck plan to re-work the ending. Now that Mr. Earle's investigation has focused on Delay, the filmmakers feel it only makes sense.

There have been conflicting reports on whether Mr. DeLay's staff said he chose not to grant any interviews to the filmmakers two years ago, or if his office was contacted at all. Mr. Schermbeck said he hopes the congressman will get involved. "We obviously have to do a new ending to this now, and we're going to be calling DeLay's lawyers and staff," Mr. Schermbeck said.

DeLay defenders have used the film to attack the indictments handed out, as well as Ronnie Earle. "This is just further proof that this vendetta against congressman DeLay has been scripted from Day 1," said Ben Porritt, a spokesman for Tom Delay who was forced to give up his post as House majority leader after the indictment was handed down.

Schermbeck in responding to the various charges said, "We couldn't get past [Delay's] the front door. So we regrouped and decided to approach Mr. Earle about telling the story from his point of view." Bernbeck went on, "I don't think Mr. DeLay's name ever came up. We were as surprised as anyone that he was indicted."

Newspapers and Delay defenders have also charged that the filmmakers were given special access to Ronnie Earle and his staff as they examined allegations that Republicans were illegally funneling corporate contributions to the campaigns of Texas state legislative candidates.
“Oh yeah, he’s just doing his job. He’s just doing his job. He’s got a film crew that has been following him around for two years to document how he’s going to get Tom DeLay,” DeLay said on a Houston talk radio show Friday.

Ronnie Earle responded to the charges, "My office follows all the same proper rules about rightfully protected information for all the media no matter who they are. When somebody said to Harry Truman, 'Give 'em hell, Harry, I just tell them the truth, and they think it's hell.' I told them the truth, and they thought it was a movie. Go figure. I'm just doing my job."

Birnbaum and Schermbeck supported Earle's version of events, saying that Earle and his staff gave them some interviews. They also did not get access to any of the secret grand jury proceedings or witness any of the staff’s deliberations in the DeLay investigation.

Both Mark Birnbaum and Jim Schermbeck have collaborated on a number of projects in the past. Birnbaum has been working in film since 1969. According to his website he has done everything from production to editing film for PBS and the Discovery Channel all over the world. He also lists various awards he has won, including a Peabody Award. Schermbeck has been a community organizer in Texas for almost 30 years. He has worked with Public Citizen, The National Toxics Campaign, and Downwinders at Risk.

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Earthquake Devastates South Asia - Thousands Killed

2005-10-18T13:45:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaThe strongest earthquake that South Asia experienced in the last century caused widespread damage across Pakistan, North India, and Afghanistan this morning. Strongest hit was apparently Kashmir. Tens of thousands of people are feared dead. The epicenter was close to Muzaffarabad, 138 km to the north of Islamabad, and also caused severe damage from both shaking and from landslides to Balakot, Garhi Habibullah and one village in Rawalakot.

Reports on fatalities are conflicting, but even the most conservative estimates put the toll as high as 20,000. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf told the BBC he knew of 20,000 people that were killed but added: "I wouldn't be able to make an accurate assessment for days." He also asked for international help and specifically requested large cargo helicopters to supply remote areas. The US has come forward to assist by providing eight military helicopters. The communications minister for the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, Tariq Mahmmod, said on Sunday, that "more than 30,000" died in his region alone. Aside from Kashmir most of the deaths occurred in the North-West Province of Pakistan and other northern areas. The estimated death toll has now reached 35,000.International

Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan, a spokesman for Musharraf, said the scale of the devastation was the biggest Pakistan has ever seen. As emergency workers searched for trapped people and helped the injured, an international relief and recovery effort geared up.

A U.N. disaster relief team was due in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, on Sunday. Britain, Germany, and the United States were among countries offering aid. India, Pakistan's neighbour and longtime rival, also offered aid (details). A British team from the International Rescue Corps was assisting in the operation at Marghalla Towers on Sunday, equipped with heat-seeking detectors, portable oxygen bags, and advanced slab and metal cutters. According to Pakistan Television this meant that "rescue efforts are picking up pace, and lot of time is being saved."

The tremors began at 8:50 am (03:50 GMT), and continued for two minutes, followed by several aftershocks over a period of ten minutes. Initial reports said that they were felt in Delhi, Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, Kabul, Punjab, Jammu, Kashmir, and other areas. A magnitude 6.3 aftershock occurred seven hours later just to the northwest.

The earthquake caused several apartment buildings in Islamabad to collapse, trapping hundreds of people. 250 children were killed in Gari Habi Ullaha between Mansehra and Muzaffarabad when their school collapsed.

The Pakistani Interior Ministry reports that several villages were "wiped out." Pakistan's army has been directed to extend all out help to the civil population in the quake-hit areas. All civil and military hospitals have been directed to deal with the situation on an emergency basis. The President and the Prime Minister have appealed to the nation to stay calm in the face of the calamity, and asked the authorities concerned to carry out an immediate assessment of the extent of the damage.

The Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz talked by telephone with authorities in four provinces and Azad Kashmir. He directed them to utilize all machinery, and make all possible efforts to help the victims. He said that the whole federal administration, civil and military authorities had been alerted and relief goods had been provided to them for the victims of the quake.

Most of the roads are closed in the Northern Sector near the earthquake, and some have been completely washed out, so the Pakistani army is flying supplies in by helicopter. Telephone and electricity connections have been cut to towns such as Muzaffarabad, making logistical operations much more complex. The heavy rains have also contributed to the suffering of the many thousands who are now homeless.

Across the line of control in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, officials said Saturday that more than 465 people, at least 34 of them soldiers, were killed in the quake.

Worst hit in India was the town of Uri, close to the border with Pakistan, where four in five of the town's buildings were leveled, and at least 120 people lost their lives. Officials in India have been criticised for the slow pace and lack of organisation in the relief effort.

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Blog Searching Google Style

2005-10-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaIn mid-September, Google launched a new search engine: Google Blogsearch. The new search engine, whose development was announced over two years ago, allows you to search blogs by dates, date ranges, language, authors, and by the blog itself, in addition to keywords. It is then possible to set up your own custom newsfeed with these search criteria.
Despite the features, there has been criticism related to this new engine. One example is how their index only dates back to March 2005. In addition, flaws in the search algorithm may result in duplicate blog entries, as well as other "blog noise" to receive high results.
This new search engine was made supposedly to help compete with other search engines, such as one by Yahoo!.
Google Blogsearch has joined the group of other Google search engines, including Google Image search, Google Groups, and the famous Google Web search.

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Tragedy on Lake George

2005-10-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaTwenty elderly people were killed Sunday when a boat capsized on Lake George in upstate New York. The Ethan Allen was filled with touring passengers from the Detroit, Michigan area, all of whom were on a pleasure cruise to see fall foliage in the Adirondack Mountains. All the passengers aboard were reported to have not worn life preservers.
Investigators speculate that the Ethan Allen capsized when it steered into the wake of another tour boat, causing the former to turn sharply. The incident occurred at 3:00 PM EDT (2000 UTC) about 150 yards offshore at Cramer Point. Amongst those who survived was the captain, Richard Paris, 74, who was reportedly the only crew member aboard the boat.
The boat operator company's license has been temporarily revoked pending a urine analysis test for alcohol consumption 80 hours before the incident. All other boat licenses owned by the company are also being held.

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Traffic Jams Snarl Evacuations Near Houston

2005-09-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaBefore Hurricane Rita arrived, cars idling for hours in traffic jams near Houston began running out of gas, stranding evacuees in their cars.

The New York Times reported Friday morning that "Colossal 100-mile-long traffic jams left many people stranded and out of gas as the huge storm bore down on the Texas coast on Thursday. ... Acknowledging that "being on the highway is a deathtrap," Mayor Bill White asked for military help in rushing scarce fuel to stranded drivers."

The obvious express routes slowed to a crawl. Some drivers reported easy travel on rural roads, while others encountered heavy traffic on two-lane highways. Constantly during the evacuation on two-lane highways, people would take over the other lanes, causing some head-on collisions. Even when the line jumpers didn't get in a wreck, they still slowed the flow of traffic because they had to merge back into the right lane at some point. The general attitude towards these cheaters was very hostile. Curses and hand signals were exchanged. To stop the cheaters, cars would swerve in front of those who tried to pass or not let them merge back in line, often causing an accident, or at least causing a backup in the lane of oncoming traffic. Sometimes blockers would occupy the shoulder as well as the lane to stop them cutting back into the line.

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Anyone's Son Can Be Fodder for a Documentary

2005-07-29T15:43:00.000-07:00

MONTVALE NJ - Thanksgiving 1976, a mentally deranged young man from a small suburban town in northern New Jersey brutally murders his entire family in their beds, then tries to hide the evidence in the attic. After a sensationalist trial, the boy, Harry De La Roche Jr., is convicted following a questionable confession, and sentenced to life in prison.

Flash forward to today. Someone is trying to dig up old graves and disturb the ghosts of the past, metaphorically speaking that is, though that statement may not be far from the truth. Pascack Hills High School alumni, former friends and classmates of Harry De La Roche, were contacted via an apparently blood soaked post card this July by Starline Films, a small company which claims that it is attempting to produce a documentary of the crimes "to create the most authentic and accurately depicted story possible," and disturbingly (not to mention sensationally) titled "Anyone's Son."

Skeptical? You aren't the only one. Starline Film's professional repetoire includes such classics as: "4 Chosen" and "Remedy". The first is based on another news story about another series of murders and the second is a work of fiction. Not adding to the company's credibility is the fact that the sensationlist post card includes not only information for those wishing to contribute their side of the story (in theory a laudable attempt at accuracy), but also advertisements seeking actors, extras, consultants, investors, producers, and "industry professionals." In other words, this project has absolutely no funding whatsoever. Starline Films itself is located a scant 3 miles away from the site of the murders in Upper Saddle River, not the epicenter of the film "biz" by any stretch of the imagination. None of this of course has prevented Starline Films from not only pre-selling, but pre-selling at a 40% discount the not yet produced "Anyone's Son" through their website.

At worst this movie project is a complete and total scam to rip off a bunch of star struck suburbanites and capitalize on the mental illness of a young man and the tragic end of a number of lives. At best, Starline Films needs to hire a new PR director pronto. Either way, the project seems unlikely to go forward with so little financial support and almost no signs of progress since the July call for actors.

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Everything is in Space

2005-07-26T11:40:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia
SPACE, EARTH - These days everything is in space. China is planning a series of manned space missions, but to do so they will have to dodge their way through a ring of space junk that encircles the Earth. Junk parts however are not the only thing floating around up there. In fact, a great deal of junk radio, television, and now internet continually makes its way into space each day.

If even decades from now, man were to successfully develop interplanetary travel a great speeds, he might find The Beatles or Ozzie and Harriett there ahead of us at the next galaxy. Radio and television signals breach our atmosphere and travel out into space continually, but on a cosmic scale they are not particularly fast about it.

Soon that same space expedition would likely be able to check its email from space as well... of course the email would be 30 years old, but that's about how long it takes to sort through the spam these days anyway. For a while now Craigslist, the famed / notorious internet bulletin board of personals and free stuff, has been broadcasting its messages into space. They said they'd call us if they got any answers. Starting in August, it will even be possible to blog in space. With Bloginspace.com's new service, an XML or RSS feed from your personal blog can be beamed into space from a parabolic dish at no cost to you. So it is with great fanfair that we announce that Millennium News Networks, true to our name, will be the first all news blog in space. For more information, see Bloginspace.com While you are there, sign up! You never know who might be reading.

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Grand Theft Auto Video Game Deemed Too Hot for Teens to Handle

2005-07-21T05:45:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaThe Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) changed its content rating of the controversial Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas video game from "Mature" to "Adults Only" on Wednesday. The ESRB change came after a investigation proved that sexual content in the game could be unlocked by anyone except for owners of the Xbox version of the game.
Graphic sex scenes in the game can be revealed if a user downloads an internet version of the "Hot Coffee modification" with a secret code that depicts characters as having sex. The secret code is widely available on the Internet such as gamer sites, MoFunZone.com and Gamespot.
In response to this, Rockstar Games and it's parent company Take-Two Interactive stopped making the verison of the game with the sexual content and plan to release a "Mature"-rated title in the fall with the "Hot Coffee" content removed.
Game maker Take-Two says the 'game mod' is third-party software that violates the end-user license agreement of the company's intellectual property rights. Citing what the company calls standard industry practice to create content that never makes it into the final version of a game, the sex scenes included in the software, "were never intended to be found."
After the rating change, stores such as Wal-Mart and Target pulled the game off their shelves under their policies not to sell "Adults Only"-rated games.
This controversy has lead to major debate between execs and politicans whether the video game industry should continue to judge itself or not. Many of the watchdog groups were unaware that content like this is usually "locked away" instead of being deleted.
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Bush Nominates John Roberts to Supreme Court

2005-07-19T19:31:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON DC - Tuesday on national television, President Bush announced his intentions to nominate John Roberts to the Supreme Court. Academically and experiencially speaking, Roberts is just barely qualified for the job of a Supreme Court Justice with a law degree from Harvard, a couple years of clerking experience, some time in private practice, and finally 4 years serving as Principal Deputy Solicitor General of the United States, during which time he represented a scant 30 cases. The point here is not that Roberts is particularly unqualified, but moreover that there were far more qualified candidates available.

Of far greater concern however is Roberts' anti-abortionist history and personal ties with President Bush. Bush has not denied outright claims of a conflict of interest saying instead,

"In my meetings with Judge Roberts, I have been deeply impressed. He's a man of extraordinary accomplishment and ability. He has a good heart."

Notably, Bush and Roberts both graduated from Harvard (yearbook pictures above), just a year appart. In the last primary, Roberts personally gave Bush $1000 towards his campaign.

NARAL had the following to say about Roberts' attitude towards the women's right to choose:

As Deputy Solicitor General, Roberts argued in a brief before the U.S. Supreme Court (in a case that did not implicate Roe v. Wade) that “[w]e continue to believe that Roe was wrongly decided and should be overruled…. [T]he Court’s conclusion in Roe that there is a fundamental right to an abortion… finds no support in the text, structure, or history of the

In Rust v. Sullivan7, the Supreme Court considered whether Department of Health and Human Services regulations limiting the ability of Title X recipients to engage in abortion-related activities violated various constitutional provisions. Roberts, appearing on behalf of HHS as Deputy Solicitor General, argued that this domestic gag rule did not violate constitutional protections.

Roberts, again as Deputy Solicitor General, argued as amicus curiae for the United States supporting Operation Rescue and six other individuals who routinely blocked access to reproductive health care clinics, arguing that the protesters’ behavior did not amount to discrimination against women even though only women could exercise the right to seek an abortion. Intervening as amicus is a wholly discretionary decision on the part of the Solicitor General. Here the government chose to involve itself in a case in support of those who sought to deprive women of the right to choose. Roberts argued that the protesters’ blockade and protests merely amounted to an expression of their opposition to abortion and that a civil rights remedy was therefore inappropriate.8 The case – Bray v. Alexandria Women’s Health Clinic9 – presented the Supreme Court with the question of whether the Civil Rights Act of 1871 provided a federal cause of action against persons obstructing access to abortion clinics. The year after Bray was rendered, Congress enacted the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act to protect women and health care providers from violence and harassment.

HBO Sets Stage With 93 Emmy Nominations

2005-07-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - For the fifth year in a row, HBO pulls ahead of the network television pack with a stunning 93 Primetime Emmy Nominations.

As reported by Time Warner, this year's HBO Emmy Nominations include:

16 nominations overall for "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers," including Outstanding Made for Television Movie, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (Geoffrey Rush), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Charlize Theron), Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Stephen Hopkins), and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely).
16 nominations overall for "Warm Springs," including Outstanding Made for Television Movie, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (Kenneth Branagh), Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Cynthia Nixon), 2 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Jane Alexander, Kathy Bates), Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Joseph Sargent), and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Margaret Nagle).
11 nominations overall for "Deadwood," including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Ian McShane), and Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Gregg Fienberg).
10 nominations overall for "Empire Falls," including Outstanding Miniseries, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (Ed Harris), 2 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Newman), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Joanne Woodward), Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Fred Schepisi), and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Richard Russo).
8 nominations overall for "Carnivale."
7 nominations overall for "Lackawanna Blues," including Outstanding Made for Television Movie, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (S. Epatha Merkerson), and Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (George C. Wolfe).
5 nominations overall for "Six Feet Under," including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Frances Conroy).
4 nominations overall for "Death in Gaza," including Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking, Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming (James Miller), and Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming (Saira Shah).
3 nominations overall for "Da Ali G Show," including Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series, Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program (James Bobin), and Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program.
3 nominations overall for "Entourage," including Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Jeremy Piven) and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (David Frankel).
3 nominations overall for "Tracey Ullman: Live & Exposed," including Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program (Tracey Ullman).
2 nominations overall for "Real Time with Bill Maher," including Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program.
Other HBO nominees include "Classical Baby," "Last Letters Home: Voices of American Troops from the Battlefields of Iraq," "...Sometimes in April," "Whoopi: Back to Broadway - The 20th Anniversary" and "The Wire."

The Primetime Emmy Awards(r) will be announced Sept. 18.

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MN2 Newswire Service Launched

2005-07-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaWAYNE, NJ - Today, Millennium News Networks, the recent media darling of the news and blog communities, launched its own newswire service. Now, companies can send their press releases directly to Millennium News Networks, greatly increasing the chances of their story being picked up by other news agencies.

Up until today, MN2 has accepted article submissions for its own media outlet (http://mn2.blogspot.com/). Following its recent relaunch however, the company has decided to provide content for other news websites via its new newswire service.

For the moment, the service is free to those providing the press releases and the articles are released under Public Domain, but that may change sometime in the next quarter according to comments made during recent reorganization meetings. However, for as long as it is free, it's a great service for those who want to get the word out about their business and for those looking for site content as well.

Perhaps most importantly of all, the MN2 Newswire can be accessed at (http://mn2newswire.blogspot.com/) and all press releases can be sent to mn2mail@gmail.com

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Spanish Barbecue Blaze Kills 14

2005-07-18T03:28:00.000-07:00

GUADALAJARA, SPAIN - As many as 14 volunteer firefighters have been killed by a deadly forest fire in Guadalajara rumored to have been sparked by a barbecue. To date, the fire has consumed roughly 12,000 acres of pine woodland and forced the evacuation of 100's of people from their villages.

Blustering winds and some of the worst drought conditions in Spain since the 1940's have only compounded the situation. The fire began Saturday afternoon. Shortly after 2 groups of firefighters went out to battle the blaze, since then their vehicles have been observed burnt and they have not returned.

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Some Concerned Blair Engineered Iraq War

2005-07-17T20:53:00.000-07:00

Britain - May 1st 2005 - "The Sunday Times Online" releases this article, citing secret documents which refer to a meeting in which Blair is alleged to have engineered the Iraq war from the start. According to these secret documents, observed only by those at "The Sunday Times," Blair met with numerous other high level officials at 9am on July 23, 2002 to plan a detailed public relations strategy for gaining support for the Britain's entrance into the Iraq war, which was not in fact to start for another 8 months. According to "The Sunday Times" this meeting amounted in reality to an orchestrated effort at collusion and misdirection among high level British officials to garner support for a war that British citizens would otherwise not have supported.

Notable is the fact that "The Sunday Times" claims this article is an exclusive and that only they have the secret papers referenced within it. While their accusations against the British government and Tony Blair are credible, have circumstancial evidence, and, some might claim, constitute necessary public relations actions by any government going to war, the actual physical evidence to support the accusations is lacking. Now, several months later, other news agencies have failed in general to pick up the story and it remains an exclusive. The accusations themselves remain unsubstantiated and the public is left wondering whether it is Tony Blair or perhaps more likely the The Sunday Times that they should be more concerned about misdirection from.

Copyright Millennium News Network - 2002 - Some Rights Reserved - Contact Us Today!

Rep. Waxman: Karl Rove violated non-disclosure agreement

2005-07-17T20:51:00.000-07:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeHouse representative Henry Waxman (D-Cal) released on Friday a fact sheet from a "briefing booklet" that Karl Rove received when he signed the classified information nondisclosure agreement (SF-312). Executive Order 12958 requires that a person sign this standard form before being granted security clearance. The briefing booklet states that:

Before confirming the accuracy of what appears in the public source, the signer of the SF 312 must confirm through an authorized official that the information has, in fact, been declassified. If it has not, confirmation of its accuracy is also an unauthorized disclosure.

The nondisclosure agreement and the executive order require sanctions against security clearance holders who "knowingly, willfully, or negligently" disclose classified information. The sanctions for such a breach include "reprimand, suspension without pay, removal, termination of classification authority, loss or denial of access to classified information, or other sanctions.
The agreement requires that violators be subject to appropriate sanctions, regardless of whether or not they knew they were leaking classified information:

Officers and employees of the United States Government ... shall be subject to appropriate sanctions if they knowingly, willfully, or negligently ... disclose to unauthorized persons information properly classified.

This information was provided to YubaNet by Representative Waxman, and discussed in detail here.
The case, however, is being tried under the 1982 Intelligence Identities Protection Act. The strictest interpretation of the act limits breaking it to

knowingly

reveal the identity of an undercover agent. There is only one publicly known conviction for the law. CIA employee Sharon Scranage, who pleaded guilty in 1985. She served 8 months out of a 5 year conviction for revealing to her boyfriend the names of other agents while stationed in Ghana.

[edit]

Was Plame a covert agent?

The case is clouded by reckoning on the covert status of Valerie Plame when the leak occurred. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) called for an FBI probe 10 days after the July 13, 2003 column by Robert Novak identified her as an agent. A Chicago native and appointed special prosecutor, Patrik Fitzgerald took over the case 19 months ago. That the case continues today says something in itself.
Critics of the investigation believe the case is overblown because it was widely known in Washington social power circles that Plame worked for the CIA.
A MediaMatters report on the widely publicized quote by Joseph Wilson, who said, "My wife was not a clandestine officer... ", was misconstrued by the press.

BLITZER: But the other argument that's been made against you is that you've sought to capitalize on this extravaganza, having that photo shoot with your wife [in the January 2004 Vanity Fair magazine], who was a clandestine officer of the CIA, and that you've tried to enrich yourself writing this book and all of that.

What do you make of those accusations, which are serious accusations, as you know, that have been leveled against you?

WILSON: My wife was not a clandestine officer the day that Bob Novak blew her identity.

BLITZER: But she hadn't been a clandestine officer for some time before that?

WILSON: That's not anything that I can talk about. And, indeed, I'll go back to what I said earlier, the CIA believed that a possible crime had been committed, and that's why they referred it to the Justice Department.

In the full context of the above CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports televised broadcast, Wilson was responding to mean that after Robert Novak's column ran, his wife was no longer a clandestine officer. The Vanity Fair coverage given Wilson with wife Plame was a result of the publicity that ensued from the column written by Novack. The photo shoots did not occur before the disclosure, they came in January 2004.
The Associated Press reported the Wilson-Blitzer interview as follows:

...CNN Thursday before the latest revelation, Wilson kept up his criticism of the White House, saying [White House senior adviser Karl] Rove's conduct was an "outrageous abuse of power ... certainly worthy of frog-marching out of the White House."

But at the same time, Wilson acknowledged his wife was no longer in an undercover job at the time Novak's column first identified her. "My wife was not a clandestine officer the day that Bob Novak blew her identity," he said.

Federal law prohobits goverment [sic] officials from divulging the identity...

Media outlets followed the AP lead with their own reporting that mirrored AP report.
Copyright Millennium News Network - 2002 - Some Rights Reserved - Contact Us Today!

Weblogs Inc. Hacked

2005-07-16T16:51:00.000-07:00

Large portions of the Weblogs Inc. blog network have been hacked and replaced with the following text:

Fuxz Ownz You!

fuxz0r@gmail.com

This is as of 7:54PM July 16th. This was reported by one of our staff who actually reads Luxist.com (a Weblogs Inc. website) and after calling a number she found in the Google Cache decided this might make an entertaining news item. A screenshot of Luxist.com is above.

I for one welcome our new blog master Fuxz and plan to email him in his parents' basement shortly (just joking, please don't hack us! ...though I do plan to email him).

Copyright Millennium News Network - 2002 - Some Rights Reserved - Contact Us Today!

Gray's Anatomy: Proof That IP Law is Working

2005-07-15T23:40:00.000-07:00

Wikipedia describes Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body in brief:

"an anatomy textbook widely regarded as a classic work on human anatomy. The book was first published under the title Gray's Anatomy: Descriptive and Surgical in Great Britain in 1858, and the following year in the United States. The book's British author died after the publication of the 1860 second edition, at the age of 34, but his much-praised book was continued by others and on November 24, 2004, the 39th British edition was released. (Wikipedia Article on Gray's Anatomy)"

The point is, Gray's Anatomy, while not particularly accurate by today's standards, is a quintessential classic of anatomy in much the same way as the work of Freud. Which is great, because now the book is entirely free of copyright. That's correct, since 1970, the 1918 edition ( a much celebrated one) has been available for free use and reproduction for those who could find a copy. Where can you find a copy today? The internet of course, at Bartleby's, an online bookseller. ...and what will this great work set you back? Nothing! No registration required, just click here and you've got the entire book at the mercy of your mouse pointer.

"it shows that even with all the lawsuits and pending congressional revisitations to Intellectual Property Law, for the moment the system is working"

Why is this significant? Because it shows that even with all the lawsuits and pending congressional revisitations to Intellectual Property Law, for the moment the system is working. Try not to let your jaw hit the ground at that statement. For those of us who aren't familiar with IP Law, at current all copyrighted materials enter the "Public Domain" (a copyright free state where they can be reproduced and used in any way without license) after 52 years. The only way for a manufacturer or writer to get around this is to rework the original product and innovate creating an improved and altered product... which they should be doing in the first place! I won't say that IP Law is perfect. For a close friend of mine, 52 years was far too long to wait for AIDS research to enter the public domain, but there is hope yet, and I for one find the thought of Mickey Mouse printed on the cover of my own personal copy of Gray's Anatomy 1918 coming out of my laser printer a very heartening one.

Copyright Millennium News Network - 2002 - Some Rights Reserved - Contact Us Today!

Happy Birthday MN2

2005-07-15T23:28:00.000-07:00

Well, another year has passed here at MN2. I'd give you the year in review, but of course, our last server ate it. Instead I leave you with the usual promise that as in the last 4 years, the best of MN2 is yet to come. So keep reading, keep submitting, and we'll keep reporting the news as it should be!

Copyright Millennium News Network - 2002 - Some Rights Reserved - Contact Us Today!

Pequannock Man Told "Pranks" Aren't Funny

2005-07-13T11:40:00.000-07:00

PEQUANNOCK, NJ - Eric Soder, age 23, Pequannock will be charged with disorderly conduct for creating a public alarm. This is all in reaction to signs he posted as a practical joke around town.

Police were notified by a concerned resident that signs had been posted in their neighborhood to look for a lost King Cobra by the name of Fang. Upon calling the number on the sign, the police reached a man who had no knowledge of the signs, but suspected his friend was playing yet another practical joke on him. The two residents have been exchanging practical jokes for some time now and Soder at least stated that he has no intention of stopping, despite the fact that if convicted he faces up to a $500 fine. He did however note that he was embarrassed.

The other resident has not been charged and was unavailable for comment when phoned.

Copyright Millennium News Network - 2002 - Some Rights Reserved - Contact Us Today!

Hurricane Dennis makes landfall on Gulf Coast near Pensacola

2005-07-11T23:23:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Dennis regained strength during its north-westerly crossing of the Gulf of Mexico to surge into Florida's western panhandle near Mobile, Alabama with Category 3 force that packed sustained winds of 120 mph.

Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Escambia were the first Florida counties hit by the eyewall of the hurricane at 3:25 EDT Sunday afternoon. The small storm eye of the powerful hurricane spared the region more major destruction.

The compact storm picked up travel speed from 14 to 18 mph as it came to within 3 hours of landfall, where the storm's eye made for the Pensacola Bay. Its strength suddenly dropped from Category 4 before it struck land and moved swiftly inland. It continued to gain speed, traveling at 21 mph, while its strength sapped to Category 2 on a track into the Ohio Valley.

Residents of Fort Walton Beach and Pensacola who remained in the region, were told hours before the storm's arrival that storm shelters were full, and they were urged to stay home or find other shelter. In Escambia County Florida, officials announced at 2pm they were no longer able to respond to 911 calls for help due to the high winds.

The storm came 10 months after Hurricane Ivan, which struck the panhandle and Mobile Bay region last year. Dennis landed just 50 miles east of Ivan's, where recovery efforts from that storm were still ongoing. The Dennis landfall matched Ivan's Category 3 wind speeds.

Power outages were reported in Mobile and across the panhandle. Florida governor Jeb Bush promised in a televised press conference that all efforts to restore power would be done as quickly as possible so that, "people can help themselves" recover from the storm. A hospital administrator at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola said it lost power at 2:30pm, and can operate 60 hours using back-up power generators.

Sunday evening, President Bush declared that Florida has major disaster areas, making the state eligible for FEMA assistance.

In Alabama, interstate highway I-65 was re-routed for northbound traffic only when an evacuation order was issued on Friday, by Governor Riley, for Mobile and Baldwin counties. Northern parts of the state, up into the southern part of Tennessee, were booked full with those who evacuated. A curfew lifted Sunday at 6pm in the city of Mobile.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast region was victim of the Category 5 storm, Hurricane Camille, in 1969.

Copyright Millennium News Network - 2002 - Some Rights Reserved - Contact Us Today!

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